The organiser of Phra Samut Chedi fair and a ride operator face charges after a ride malfunctioned injuring 15 people, authorities said.
The accident occurred at about 9pm on Sunday at the annual Phra Samut Chedi fair, held in front of the provincial hall in Samut Prakan.
According to witnesses, two cars attached to a tentacle of the Octopus ride fell to the ground.
15 passengers were reported injured and taken to hospital. Most complained of ankle sprains and bruises. One person suffered a broken ankle.
The ride owner, 60-year-old Somdech Rasami, and a technician, 31-year-old Anuchit Jaithiangtham, were later held for questioning at Muang police station. They face charges of recklessness causing injury.
Police were concentrating their investigation on the state of the machine's hydraulics system. An initial inspection found that the hydraulics controlling the movement of the Octopus arm had broken, causing it to fall to the ground.
The Octopus ride, known as Tagada, has five arms, each of which has four cars. It can accommodate 40 passengers per ride.
Samut Prakan governor Chartchai Uthaipan told public works authorities to inspect the safety of all rides at the fair and suspend those that don't meet safety requirements or that show signs of wear and tear.
